hello all,

I am a newbie to configuring linux - please be kind

I am trying ot install debian onto an old laptop (toshiba I believe - there are no identifiying marks) which is running a pentium 233mmx with 32 MB of ram (which I realize should be more)

I downloaded a 37MB (vanilla) net-install image, and got the machine to complete the install, and then when I reboot I get a kernel panic error.

soo, I cold reboot - then it runs a fsck and then I need to run it again to fix the errors, and then I am in. Then I did some looking around and found that I could disable (unlinking?) automatically starting the pcmcia at boot by typing:

update-rc.d pcmcia remove

Now I boot in fine, just dont have pcmcia support - therefore no ethernet adapter and no internet - which is odd because when I installed debian the pcmcia worked fine... when "configure pcmcia" and then the network came up fine - even installed packages off hte internet the first time I installed it.

anyways. Now when I manually start the pcmcia service once logged in my kernel panics.

here is the ending of the error ( it scrolles a bunch of numbers in brackets before this...

code: 8b 4a 04 85 c9 74 22 8b 5a 18 8b 02 89 01 8b 0a 85 c9 74 08
Aiee, killing interrupt handler
Kernel Panic: Attempted to kill the idle task!
In interrupt handler - not syncing

http://me.jonbovey.com/screen.jpg

Anything else that might be useful

kernel 2.2.20
DLINK DFE-670txd ethernet pcmcia card

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Jon

well it seems i can start it manually in single user mode. yet switching init levels locked 'er up.

I am thinking I have to run an option upon starting pcmcia..... not sure how though.

manfid 0x0149, 0x4530
bind "pcnet_cs"
card "D-Link DFE-670-TXD Fast Ethernet"

is the info on the card.

what is the command to find the information on the hardware. I want to find out as much information on the hardware that is in my laptop without physically opening the thing up?

again, I am a newbie....but trying...trying.... trying.

thnx for your time.

jon

I can only seem to start the pcmcia after i fsck it.....

j